After months of negotiations, top lawmakers and labor leaders announced Monday evening that they had agreed on a tentative plan to plug growing shortfalls in the teachers’ and state employees’ pension funds.
If implemented, the recommendations of a special legislative task force would be expected to reduce the state’s long-term unfunded retirement liabilities by $2 billion, per legislative analysts. Both sides are agreeing to shoulder the pain of reform — employees through higher payroll deductions, and the state with $200 million in one-time money, plus extra ongoing support from the General Fund.
With public sector unions and Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate behind the proposal, the deal’s passage is basically assured if one more person signs on: Republican Gov. Phil Scott.
So will he?
Scott has assiduously kept clear of thorny pension talks, tasking lawmakers with taking a lead on tackling the state’s vexing retirement system deficit. Asked what he thought about the proposal during a press conference Tuesday, Scott would say only that it was “encouraging” to hear of “some forward progress.”
“The devil is always in the details,” he said. “And I haven’t seen any of the details yet.”
— Lola Duffort
IN THE KNOW
Chittenden County has a fresh face in its legislative roster. Gov. Scott on Tuesday said he appointed Golrang “Rey” Garofano, a Democrat, to fill the Chittenden-8-1 House District seat vacated last month by Rep. Marybeth Redmond, D-Essex.
While it’s not required by law, governors traditionally appoint candidates of the same political party as the person who vacated the seat, choosing from a list of recommendations provided by the local party committee.
According to Scott’s office, Garofano has held various public service roles in Vermont for 16 years, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. She is currently a child care quality program administrator at the state Department for Children and Families, and participates in equity and inclusion initiatives with the Essex Westford School Board.
“I’m confident she will hit the ground running,” Scott said Tuesday.
In a written statement included in Scott’s announcement, Garofano said that housing and health care affordability, as well as living wages for Vermonters, are the issues at the top of her mind as she heads to Montpelier (or to the Zoom floor).
According to Scott spokesperson Jason Maulucci, Garofano can begin serving as soon as she takes her oath of office.
— Sarah Mearhoff
The House Committee on Government Operations on Tuesday floated the idea of holding committee hearings in-person to work on redistricting, even if the rest of the House remains remote.
The committee is facing a time crunch to finish drawing up state House district boundaries, which will be in place for the next 10 years. On Tuesday, committee members said it’s hard, if not impossible, to get the job done remotely. The mapping computer program they rely on allows for only a limited number of users to log in at one time.
Rep. Mike McCarthy, D-St. Albans, told his fellow committee members that he had a phone call with House Speaker Jill Krowinski, D-Burlington, to discuss a possible exception for Gov Ops should the rest of the House’s work remain remote.
Legislative leaders have not yet made a public decision on the future of the 2022 legislative session, but at a Monday hearing Krowinski did allude to private phone calls she planned to have with individual legislators ahead of Wednesday’s Joint Rules Committee hearing on the matter.
Rep. Sarah Copeland Hanzas, D-Bradford, said that if the committee does go back to working in-person on redistricting — which she wants — there still needs to be a remote participation option for those who are close contacts or feel Covid symptoms.
“I don’t want you to have to choose between possibly exposing your fellow committee members and your being able to participate in this very important process,” she said.
— Sarah Mearhoff
In the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare on Tuesday morning, legislators took up a proposal to create an independent child advocate office. H.265 already cleared the House last year. The office would exist outside of the Department for Children and Families. It would collect data, field complaints and assist the thousands of children currently in Vermont’s foster and juvenile justice systems.
Vermont is the only state in New England that does not currently have a child advocate role. Rep. Kelly Pajala, I-Londonderry, said the office would collaborate with, but ultimately exist outside of, the foster care system.
“If there are complaints and you’re reporting them to the same agency that is overseeing the care that you’re getting, it’s hard to feel like you’re being, you’re being served and being treated in a humane way,” she told state senators.
— Liora Engel-Smith
Vermont’s senators are making rental housing safety a priority again this year.
Last year, Gov. Scott vetoed a bill, S.79, that would establish a statewide list of rental housing and to make the state responsible for all inspections.
Currently, the Vermont Department of Public Safety’s Division of Fire Safety conducts inspections on such things as wiring and other housing components.
“But when it comes to health issues like infestation, it’s left to volunteer town health officers who readily admit they’re ill-equipped to do those inspections,” Sen. Michael Sirotkin, D-Chittenden, told VTDigger. Sirotkin chairs the Senate Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs Committee and sponsored S.79.
Senators want to address Scott’s reasons for vetoing the legislation last year. They are discussing exemptions for seasonal properties, cabins on a landlord’s property, owner-occupied triple-deckers and homes of Vermonters who head south for the winter and rent out their main home.
— Fred Thys
Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D-Chittenden, held a press conference Monday with a lengthy list of legislators and advocates who emphatically endorsed an environmental justice bill, S.148, that she introduced at the end of last session.
Leaders of social justice and environmental organizations highlighted the need for an environmental justice policy in Vermont, which is one of few states without one.
The bill proposes establishing an advisory council on environmental justice within the state’s Agency of Natural Resources. It would be made up of members of environmental groups, social justice organizations, representatives from mobile home parks, groups affected by environmental impacts, members of Native American tribes and others, along with state officials.
“Ensure this body is deeply diverse, and that all living in Vermont can see themselves reflected in its membership,” said Kiah Morris, movement politics director at Rights and Democracy. “Ensure that this body has actual power to influence the work of this initiative.”
Sen. Chris Bray, D-Addison, who chairs the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy, where the bill is currently being discussed, said he’ll work to get the bill passed this session. A number of other legislators have signed on as co-sponsors.
— Emma Cotton
The Senate is considering raising unemployment compensation by $25 a week — again.
“It’s a broken promise and there was a commitment made to thousands of people and, through a technical glitch which the Legislature wasn’t told about, it was eliminated,” Sen. Michael Sirotkin said.
The U.S. Department of Labor ruled last year that Vermont could not use its unemployment trust fund to pay for the increase. The Vermont Department of Labor had not given the Legislature a heads-up that there could be a problem with the benefit until it was too late to find alternative sources of funding.
The Legislature is considering various ways to pay for the extra help. Sirotkin told VTDigger he thinks that federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act might be the best way to pay for the extra benefit.
Sirotkin introduced his bill, S.221, to fund the additional compensation last Friday.
— Fred Thys
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Christina Nolan, the former U.S. attorney for Vermont, is taking steps to run for the U.S. Senate as a Republican.
“I am definitely exploring the possibility, but I am not yet ready to announce a formal decision or make a formal announcement,” she wrote in an email to VTDigger. Nolan filed candidacy paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission late last week.
She is the most high-profile GOP official thus far to publicly consider entering the race to replace U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
— Lola Duffort
Patricia Preston, executive director of the Vermont Council on World Affairs, announced Monday that she’ll seek the Democratic nomination for the state’s No. 2 post. She joins Rep. Charlie Kimbell, D-Woodstock, in their party’s primary.
A top Republican legislator also appears poised to enter the race.
Sen. Joe Benning, R-Caledonia, on Sunday invited news organizations throughout the state to a Jan. 17 event titled “Joe Benning for Lt. Governor.” VTDigger has been unable to reach him by phone for comment.
Benning would be the first Republican to declare his or her candidacy.
— Sarah Mearhoff
ZOOM OF THE DAY
During the House Republicans’ weekly caucus Tuesday morning, Minority Leader Pattie McCoy, R-Poultney, reminded members that while men may remove suit jackets during committee meetings, they are still required to wear jackets during floor time — even over Zoom.
A few minutes later —
Rep. Brian Smith, R-Derby: When we’re talking about wearing jackets and ties, while we’re sitting in our own homes being told what to do and what to wear, I’m glad they don’t have any rules for pants. That’s all I wanted to say.
McCoy: TMI, Rep. Smith. TMI.
Rep. Thomas Burditt, R-West Rutland: Yeah, please keep your camera up.
Rep. Casey Toof, R-St. Albans Town: Representative Hango.
Rep. Lisa Hango, R-Berkshire: I can’t believe I have to follow that. Maybe it’s a good thing we’re not in person, cause I sit next to Brian.
— Riley Robinson
WHAT’S ON TAP
For Wednesday, Jan. 12
9 a.m. — House Judiciary takes testimony on H.534, a bill related to sealing records of criminal history
9:15 a.m. — House General, Housing and Military Affairs hears testimony on homelessness and housing solutions
Noon — Joint Rules Committee reviews public health considerations related to in-person legislating
1:15 p.m. — House Judiciary takes testimony related to H.546, which would create a Division of Racial Justice Statistics within the Agency of Administration
1:30 p.m. — Senate Finance gets a walkthrough of the House’s proposed amendment regarding corporate and cloud taxes in S.53, which is titled: “An act relating to exempting feminine hygiene products from the Vermont Sales and Use Tax”
WHAT WE’RE READING
‘Hero dog’ crash coverage shows not every story is the full story (Valley News)
Windsor County pastor fighting Vermont Catholic Diocese’s Covid precautions (VTDigger)
Covid, cold weather close schools across Vermont (VTDigger) A note from the team: We want your help reporting on school closures. You can share how Covid is impacting your school community at the bottom of this story. Your identity will not be published without permission.
